Information & Communications Technology

Seasoned technologists, digital innovators, and other ICT experts, dedicated to advancing the field of information and communications technology

Kilian Valkhof

Kilian Valkhof

Kilian is a front-end developer with over 20 years of experience that switched from building websites to building apps to build websites with. He is interested in modern web development, desktop app development and new technologies, and regularly speaks about topics like responsive websites, accessibility, design systems and Electron. Kilian is a frequent open source contributor.

Kilian is a front-end developer with over 20 years of experience that switched from building websites to building apps to build websites with. He is interested in modern web development, desktop app development and new technologies, and regularly spe... Show more

Krzysztof Kania

Krzysztof Kania

Passionate about leveraging the power of Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Committed to delivering top tier services and solutions that empower productivity. My dedication to staying abreast to the latest tools and maintains a high level of integrity has not only facilitated to transformation through technology but also contributed to the ongoing pursuit of excellence in my field.

Passionate about leveraging the power of Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Committed to delivering top tier services and solutions that empower productivity. My dedication to staying abreast to the latest tools and maintains a high level of integrity has not ... Show more

Adriana Villela

Adriana Villela

Adriana Villela is a blogger, host of the Geeking Out podcast, CNCF Ambassador, and maintainer of the OpenTelemetry End User SIG. By day, she focuses on Observability and OpenTelemetry, as a Principal Developer Advocate at Dynatrace. By night, she climbs walls. She also loves capybaras, because they make her happy.

In past lives, Adriana managed both a Platform Engineering team and Observability Practices team at Tucows. She has also worked at various large-scale enterprises as both an individual contributor and leader, including Bank of Montreal, Ceridian, and Accenture.

Adriana Villela is a blogger, host of the Geeking Out podcast, CNCF Ambassador, and maintainer of the OpenTelemetry End User SIG. By day, she focuses on Observability and OpenTelemetry, as a Principal Developer Advocate at Dynatrace. By night, she cl... Show more

Lukas Durovsky

Lukas Durovsky

Staff Software Engineer with 10+ years of experience, currently working at Thermo Fisher Scientific. Interested in Domain-Driven Design and System Architectures. Passionate about leveraging AI to drive innovative solutions. Actively involved in the software engineering community, conducting workshops, talks, and lectures on topics such as GitHub Copilot and other topics from software engineering area.

Staff Software Engineer with 10+ years of experience, currently working at Thermo Fisher Scientific. Interested in Domain-Driven Design and System Architectures. Passionate about leveraging AI to drive innovative solutions. Actively involved in the s... Show more

Bernat Agulló

Bernat Agulló

Passionate about Power BI in general and DAX in particular.
Based in Barcelona, I speak Catalan, Spanish, English, Japanese and some German.

Passionate about Power BI in general and DAX in particular. Based in Barcelona, I speak Catalan, Spanish, English, Japanese and some German. Show more

Tomas Prokop

Tomas Prokop

I'm a Microsoft MVP in Business Applications who thinks the Power Platform community spent a decade treating "code" like a swear word. Now AI is generating JavaScript, React, and Python faster than most can review it. The real skill isn't generating code - it's deciding what NOT to build.

My journey in IT started in high school with ASP.NET and Android apps. I got serious about Microsoft technologies through the Student Partners program and joined the Czech Microsoft team in 2016, supporting startups through BizSpark. That's where I discovered Dynamics XRM and got hooked on the platform's potential - and its pain points.

Fellow MVP Jan Hajek and I started NETWORG to build Microsoft business applications the way professional developers expect: Dataverse plugins in C#, PCF components, custom connectors, automated testing with Playwright, and Azure DevOps pipelines that deploy code, infrastructure, and configuration as one unit. We adopted CI/CD and DevOps practices early because we kept hitting the ceiling of what point-and-click tooling could deliver.

I'm skeptical about AI hype. LLMs are excellent tools for working with unstructured information - but treating them like magic hurts adoption more than it helps. I focus on what actually works in production: architecture patterns documentation doesn't cover, real failures and workarounds, and why your AI-generated code still needs someone who understands what it's doing.

My sessions cover pro-developer experiences: Git monorepos, CI/CD pipelines, security internals, governance at scale, and AI-assisted full-stack development. If you've built a Power Platform app that grew beyond Excel automation into something mission-critical - and realized the tooling doesn't match the complexity anymore - these sessions are for you.

I organize the CZ/SK Power Platform User Group meetup at the Czech Microsoft office. Join us at https://ppug.community.

I'm a Microsoft MVP in Business Applications who thinks the Power Platform community spent a decade treating "code" like a swear word. Now AI is generating JavaScript, React, and Python faster than most can review it. The real skill isn't generating ... Show more

Paulina Jędrzejewska

Paulina Jędrzejewska

Paulina specializes in data modeling and automation in Power BI. She also has experience with data warehousing, SQL, and ETL.

"I got to know Power BI during my studies and it was love at first sight. I'm amazed how powerfull this tool is and that it is becoming better every month. As a consultant and trainer, I have the opportunity to inspire my clients and show them that Power BI is more than just colorful reports."

Paulina specializes in data modeling and automation in Power BI. She also has experience with data warehousing, SQL, and ETL. "I got to know Power BI during my studies and it was love at first sight. I'm amazed how powerfull this tool is and that ... Show more

Andreas Wänqvist

Andreas Wänqvist

Andreas has been working in different positions within enterprise during the last two decades. A few years ago his focus was on all things mobile, then it shifted towards building web systems. After that, the focus was on cloud solutions and planet-scale architecture. Nowadays it's producing customer value using AI.

Andreas is the CTO at Axonis. In his spare time he spends time with his family, lifts things in the gym, playing around with AI tooling, and is involved in OSS as an Aurelia Core Team member.

Andreas has been working in different positions within enterprise during the last two decades. A few years ago his focus was on all things mobile, then it shifted towards building web systems. After that, the focus was on cloud solutions and planet-s... Show more

Santhana Lakshmi Ponnurasan

Santhana Lakshmi Ponnurasan

Lakshmi is a Microsoft MVP (Data Platform) and a Certified Power BI Data Analyst, currently working in the Institutional Effectiveness department at Missouri University of Science and Technology. She is passionate about creating creative and innovative Power BI reports that not only make data pop but also provide actionable insights. She was a Finalist in the Microsoft Power BI DataViz World Championships 2025 and 2026, showcasing her ability to combine technical expertise with storytelling. An engaging speaker, she frequently speaks about all things Power BI at user groups and conferences, and also shares tips and best practices on her Medium blog.

Lakshmi is a Microsoft MVP (Data Platform) and a Certified Power BI Data Analyst, currently working in the Institutional Effectiveness department at Missouri University of Science and Technology. She is passionate about creating creative and innovati... Show more

AJ Ansari

AJ Ansari

AJ is a business leader and a decorated veteran of the Microsoft community, bringing nearly two decades of experience as a trusted advisor to businesses seeking to maximize their AI and ERP investments. He is an 8-time Microsoft MVP, awarded for his technical leadership, advocacy and engagement in the Dynamics 365 Business Central and Copilot Studio space. AJ is passionate about sharing his knowledge with the community and has spoken at over 50 global technology conferences and industry events. Through his talks, masterclasses, workshops, bootcamps and online contributions, AJ has built a reputation for translating complex technical concepts into practical solutions.

A mentor and an advocate for continuous learning, AJ is also an active community organizer, serving on the boards, planning committees and content committees of various Microsoft partner associations and user groups.

By day, AJ is the Chief Operating Officer at DSWi, an award-winning Microsoft Business Applications Partner since 2018. He is also the creator of the "AI Clarity Method" decision framework, the Editor of the AI-focused "OnlyCopilotFans.com" tech-news site, and the host of The OnlyBCFans Show, a podcast for the Business Central community.

AJ is a business leader and a decorated veteran of the Microsoft community, bringing nearly two decades of experience as a trusted advisor to businesses seeking to maximize their AI and ERP investments. He is an 8-time Microsoft MVP, awarded for his ... Show more

Anders Kristiansen

Anders Kristiansen

I am working as Lead Security Architect for Storebrand in Norway. Passionate about Cloud, and security and K8S.

Working hands-on as a consultant for over 10 years, working with a broad range of clients with different needs and requirements.

I am working as Lead Security Architect for Storebrand in Norway. Passionate about Cloud, and security and K8S. Working hands-on as a consultant for over 10 years, working with a broad range of clients with different needs and requirements. Show more

Kai Stenberg

Kai Stenberg

Since February 2022, I have been an Microsoft MVP, M365 & TEAMS.
Voice has been focus the last 20 years within Contact Centers and for the last 13 years I have been working with Enterprise Voice solutions .
In February 2024 I started to work for Capgemini Norway as Managing Consultant.
Since 2017 I have been working with Microsoft Teams and Voice solutions where using Direct Routing produced from Azure.
I also do integrations from Teams Voice to Dynamics365, both Dyn365 Sales and the Microsoft Digital Contact Center Platform.
Since I started working for Capgemini, my area of focus has been changed to M365 Copilot and Copilot Studio. I mainly works in Copilot Studio Full and create different type of agent for clients.
I also have the Norwegian podcast #TeamsCastAway and also run two blogs.

Since February 2022, I have been an Microsoft MVP, M365 & TEAMS. Voice has been focus the last 20 years within Contact Centers and for the last 13 years I have been working with Enterprise Voice solutions . In February 2024 I started to work for ... Show more

Lisa Hoving

Lisa Hoving

Your friendly neighbourhood Data Engineer. My background is in Finance, but I have had the pleasure to be working in IT for the past 8 or so years. In my daily life, I design and build scalable data solutions in the Azure cloud.

Your friendly neighbourhood Data Engineer. My background is in Finance, but I have had the pleasure to be working in IT for the past 8 or so years. In my daily life, I design and build scalable data solutions in the Azure cloud. Show more

David Whitney

David Whitney

David is the Director of Architecture for NewDay, and the founder of Electric Head Software. Focusing on iterative software delivery, developer mentoring and cultural change - mostly working with London-based organisations.

He speaks about software design, culture, and ethics in technology - rounded out by an assortment of talks about software that probably doesn't need to exist but makes the world a little more fun. David has previously served as the chief coding technical architect for JustGiving and helped market-leading organisations including JUST-EAT, Trainline and Vodafone improve their technical capabilities.

David is a Microsoft MVP, has been part of the OpenUK Honours list for open-source advocacy, and is a twice bestselling author of children's books about programming.

You can find his open-source projects on NuGet, npm and GitHub, follow him on Twitter @david_whitney, or check out his technical blog at http://www.davidwhitney.co.uk/Blog.

http://www.electricheadsoftware.com
http://www.davidwhitney.co.uk

David is the Director of Architecture for NewDay, and the founder of Electric Head Software. Focusing on iterative software delivery, developer mentoring and cultural change - mostly working with London-based organisations. He speaks about softwar... Show more

Elliott Leighton-Woodruff

Elliott Leighton-Woodruff

Enterprise Architect and Microsoft MVP specialising in Azure and Infrastructure as Code for regulated industries.
With deep expertise in Azure architecture, platform engineering and cloud-native technologies, I deliver solutions that strengthen compliance, unlock efficiency, and empower transformation.
I’m passionate about sharing knowledge, writing technical blogs, presenting at conferences, and mentoring the next generation of cloud professionals. I help teams and individuals build secure, auditable systems that drive real business outcomes in the UK and beyond.

Enterprise Architect and Microsoft MVP specialising in Azure and Infrastructure as Code for regulated industries. With deep expertise in Azure architecture, platform engineering and cloud-native technologies, I deliver solutions that strengthen com... Show more

Fabrizio Sgura

Fabrizio Sgura

I began my programming journey at the tender age of 12, diving headfirst into Basic and Assembler for Sinclair and Commodore machines back in the distant 1980s, cementing my foundation. Since then, I've dived headfirst into the world of information technology, enjoying the constant evolution of systems and technologies, programming languages, being an insatiable learner and a high-level engineer. Scalability and flexibility are my passions. My job is my favorite game (and there's no such thing as a break!).

I began my programming journey at the tender age of 12, diving headfirst into Basic and Assembler for Sinclair and Commodore machines back in the distant 1980s, cementing my foundation. Since then, I've dived headfirst into the world of information t... Show more

Manpreet Singh

Manpreet Singh

Manpreet leads the Modern Workplace AI Solutions Team at Cognizant, where he designs and scales transformative Microsoft-based solutions for global enterprises. Partnering with leadership across diverse verticals—from Media and Entertainment to Financial Services and Healthcare—Manpreet orchestrates Agentic AI strategies that move beyond simple automation to create truly autonomous, intelligent ecosystems. His mission is to redefine the "Agentic Experience," ensuring that AI doesn't just respond to prompts but proactively solves business friction for global customers. As a Microsoft MVP in M365 and AI, he bridges the gap between complex architectural innovation and real-world business impact.

Beyond his leadership at Cognizant, Manpreet is a titan in the technical community. A revered MVP, his insights have reached a staggering 10 million+ readers through his extensive library of articles and blogs. He is the driving force behind numerous annual boot camps, hackathons, and fundraisers, all aimed at nurturing the next generation of tech talent. Whether he is architecting a unified AI Command Center for a Fortune 500 firm or mentoring the next generation of developers, Manpreet is driven by a relentless "human-first" philosophy. Amidst the rapid evolution of the AI landscape, he remains easily recognizable by his warm smile—a reflection of his genuine passion for empowering organizations to achieve more through the power of Agentic AI.

Manpreet leads the Modern Workplace AI Solutions Team at Cognizant, where he designs and scales transformative Microsoft-based solutions for global enterprises. Partnering with leadership across diverse verticals—from Media and Entertainment to Finan... Show more

David Drever

David Drever

David is an Associate Director with Protiviti Canada and a 10-time Microsoft 365 & Security MVP with 25 years of experience working within information technology. For 20 years, David has assisted organizations to collaborate efficiently and effectively within SharePoint and Microsoft 365. David assists companies to understand their compliance needs and how to protect their data. He has helped organizations build data protection programs to safeguard their most sensitive information while ensuring the business can collaborate and work with their content. Over the past 25 years, David has built a great deal of experience in a wide variety of areas in IT, ranging from Desktop\Server support to development in C++ and .NET technologies. He has added value to many clients in several sectors, including utilities, government, banking, and agriculture.

David is a knowledgeable and sought-after international speaker within IT circles and is consulted regularly by companies formulating their digital workplace strategies and compliance platforms.

David blogs at http://daviddrever.com

David is an Associate Director with Protiviti Canada and a 10-time Microsoft 365 & Security MVP with 25 years of experience working within information technology. For 20 years, David has assisted organizations to collaborate efficiently and effective... Show more

Scott Bell

Scott Bell

Scott Bell is a hands on AI & data strategy consultant and Principal Consultant at RapidData, helping organisations turn modern data platforms into measurable outcomes through strong architecture, practical engineering, and delivery discipline.

With 10+ years across data engineering, data science, and cloud solution architecture, he’s worked in sectors including public sector/health regulation, energy, retail, trading, and hospitality. Building data products, Agentic AI, real-time insights, and end-to-end intelligent platforms from requirements to production.

Previously, Scott was the UK&I Databricks SME at Avanade, supporting teams and clients with reference architectures and platform best practices.
He holds a Master’s in Computer Science with a focus on secure machine learning in the cloud, and maintains 30+ certifications across Microsoft Azure, Databricks, Security, DevOps, and Terraform.

Scott loves experimenting with new AI capabilities especially where “agentic” systems meet real operational constraints. A current focus is agentic governance & security: how to threat model AI agents, reduce blast radius, and make “helpful” automation safe, observable, and accountable in production.

Outside work, he’s usually found talking Rugby League, tinkering with R and Azure, or making overly serious notes about beer.

Scott Bell is a hands on AI & data strategy consultant and Principal Consultant at RapidData, helping organisations turn modern data platforms into measurable outcomes through strong architecture, practical engineering, and delivery discipline. W... Show more

David Kjerrumgaard

David Kjerrumgaard

David Kjerrumgaard is a Developer Advocate at StreamNative and a committer on the Apache Pulsar project. He is recognized for his expertise in real-time data streaming, messaging systems, and big data technologies. As author of Pulsar in Action and co-author of Practical Hive, he has established himself as a leading voice in the streaming data ecosystem.

An accomplished international speaker, David presents at conferences worldwide on big data, streaming technologies, and agentic AI. His technical contributions extend beyond the stage—he actively contributes to Apache NiFi and maintains his committer status on Apache Pulsar, directly advancing these open-source platforms.

David's career includes leadership roles at industry-leading companies. He previously served as Principal Software Engineer on Splunk's messaging team, specializing in real-time data analytics. Before that, he held Director of Solutions positions at Streamlio and Hortonworks, where he implemented enterprise-scale solutions using Hadoop, Hive, and Kafka for Fortune 500 clients.

Through his technical expertise, thought leadership, and community engagement, David continues to shape the future of real-time data streaming.

David Kjerrumgaard is a Developer Advocate at StreamNative and a committer on the Apache Pulsar project. He is recognized for his expertise in real-time data streaming, messaging systems, and big data technologies. As author of Pulsar in Action and c... Show more

Chris DeMars

Chris DeMars

Chris DeMars is a Senior Developer Advocate with over 20 years of technical experience. He speaks all over the world on web accessibility, feature flags, A/B testing, and CSS. For his community contributions, he holds awards as a Progress Champion and former Microsoft MVP, Google Developer Expert, Cloudinary Media Developer Expert, and Auth0 Ambassador. When he is not working on making the web great and accessible you can find him fishing, on the paintball field, rating Detroit Style pizza, and looking for UFO's.

Chris DeMars is a Senior Developer Advocate with over 20 years of technical experience. He speaks all over the world on web accessibility, feature flags, A/B testing, and CSS. For his community contributions, he holds awards as a Progress Champion an... Show more

Elio Struyf

Elio Struyf

Elio Struyf is an independent Solution Architect working for Struyf Consulting, a blogger, and a speaker on a mission to share his tried-and-true wisdom with as many IT developers as possible.

Elio Struyf is an independent Solution Architect working for Struyf Consulting, a blogger, and a speaker on a mission to share his tried-and-true wisdom with as many IT developers as possible. Show more

Chen Shiri

Chen Shiri

Chen Shiri is a cyber security researcher, hacker, known for his research on low-level security and isolation mechanisms. His research has revealed significant flaws within widely-used services and prominent vendors. In addition to its research on Accenture, he published research with early examples of weaknesses in microservices and container-based web apps.

Chen Shiri is a cyber security researcher, hacker, known for his research on low-level security and isolation mechanisms. His research has revealed significant flaws within widely-used services and prominent vendors. In addition to its research on ... Show more

Brayan Kai Mwanyumba

Brayan Kai Mwanyumba

Brayan Kai is a Data Scientist passionate about Technical Writing and Open-source Advocacy, currently working as a Data Scientist. At work, he helps build Data Science solutions, facilitates technical mentorship sessions, and builds next-level data content to equip learners with hands-on, job-ready, in-demand skills for their next career move. He also volunteers at different developer communities, including Google Developer Group Nairobi, OSCA Nairobi, and the GitHub Community. Brayan is also a global tech speaker so far having spoken at over 30 conferences across Africa, Europe, North America, and Asia. It makes him happier and more balanced, and gives him a stronger sense of purpose to innovate, share, and teach in and with the community rather than just for it.

Brayan Kai is a Data Scientist passionate about Technical Writing and Open-source Advocacy, currently working as a Data Scientist. At work, he helps build Data Science solutions, facilitates technical mentorship sessions, and builds next-level data c... Show more

Josh Long

Josh Long

Josh (@starbuxman) has been the first Spring Developer Advocate since 2010. Josh is a Java Champion, author of 7 books (including "Reactive Spring") and numerous best-selling video training (including "Building Microservices with Spring Boot Livelessons" with Spring Boot co-founder Phil Webb), and an open-source contributor (Spring Boot, Spring Integration, Axon, Spring Cloud, Activiti, Vaadin, etc), a Youtuber (Coffee + Software with Josh Long as well as my Spring Tips series ), and a podcaster ("A Bootiful Podcast").

Josh (@starbuxman) has been the first Spring Developer Advocate since 2010. Josh is a Java Champion, author of 7 books (including "Reactive Spring") and numerous best-selling video training (including "Building Microservices with Spring Boot Liveless... Show more

Holger Imbery

Holger Imbery

Holger is a principal architect with over 20 years of experience in designing workplace solutions, specializing in Microsoft Power Platform and Microsoft Azure.

He shares his expertise and knowledge about the Power Platform, particularly on Copilot Studio, with the community through blogging and speaking at events.

Holger is a principal architect with over 20 years of experience in designing workplace solutions, specializing in Microsoft Power Platform and Microsoft Azure. He shares his expertise and knowledge about the Power Platform, particularly on Copilo... Show more

Pauline Kolde

Pauline Kolde

Always on the road — in search of inspiration, good food, and the next interesting conversation.

I'm a Microsoft MVP and consultant with over 8 years of experience in Dynamics 365 and Customer Experience.
My sweet spot is Dynamics 365 Customer Insights and Dynamics 365 Sales, but I'm equally at home talking about AI, Copilot, and where it's all heading. I'm driven by curiosity, about technology, about people, and about the spaces in between.
That curiosity also shapes the sessions I love to give. Alongside deep-dives into Microsoft tech, I design talks on mindset and methods: from building a Second Brain to applying Street Epistemology, the Socratic questioning practice, in everyday professional life.

When I'm not on stage or on a client project, you'll find me somewhere in the world with a knitting project in my bag, great company around the table, and probably too many browser tabs open.

Always on the road — in search of inspiration, good food, and the next interesting conversation. I'm a Microsoft MVP and consultant with over 8 years of experience in Dynamics 365 and Customer Experience. My sweet spot is Dynamics 365 Customer I... Show more

Bob Ward

Bob Ward

Bob Ward is a Principal Architect for the Microsoft Azure Data team, which owns the development for Microsoft SQL ground to cloud to fabric. Bob has worked for Microsoft for 32+ years on every version of SQL Server shipped from OS/2 1.1 to SQL Server 2025 including Azure SQL and SQL database in Fabric. Bob is a well-known speaker on SQL Server, Azure SQL, AI, and Microsoft Fabric often presenting talks on new releases, internals, and specialized topics at events such as SQLBits, Microsoft Build, Microsoft Ignite, PASS Summit, FabCon, SQLCon, and VS Live. You can also learn Azure SQL from him on the popular series https://aka.ms/azuresql4beginners. You can follow him at @bobwardms or linkedin.com/in/bobwardms. Bob is the author of the books Pro SQL Server on Linux, SQL Server 2019 Revealed, Azure SQL Revealed, SQL Server 2022 Revealed, Azure SQL Revealed 2nd Edition, and SQL Server 2025 Unveiled available from Apress Media.

Bob Ward is a Principal Architect for the Microsoft Azure Data team, which owns the development for Microsoft SQL ground to cloud to fabric. Bob has worked for Microsoft for 32+ years on every version of SQL Server shipped from OS/2 1.1 to SQL Server... Show more

Zaid Zaim

Zaid Zaim

As a Developer Advocate at Neo4j, I help developers harness the power of graph technology and AI. A Microsoft MVP and global speaker at events like TED, Microsoft Build, and WeAreDevelopers, I focus on making complex tech accessible through content, community, and hands-on support. My mission is to connect, empower, and inspire developers to build impactful solutions.

As a Developer Advocate at Neo4j, I help developers harness the power of graph technology and AI. A Microsoft MVP and global speaker at events like TED, Microsoft Build, and WeAreDevelopers, I focus on making complex tech accessible through content, ... Show more

Leonardo Cavagnis

Leonardo Cavagnis

Since 2023, I have been working as a firmware engineer at Arduino, contributing to the development of innovative hardware and software solutions.
I hold a Master's Degree in Computer Engineering from Politecnico di Milano, specializing in embedded systems. Before joining Arduino, I gained experience in various fields, including industrial, automotive, and green mobility.
Passionate about technical writing and traveling, I am always seeking new experiences and knowledge.

Since 2023, I have been working as a firmware engineer at Arduino, contributing to the development of innovative hardware and software solutions. I hold a Master's Degree in Computer Engineering from Politecnico di Milano, specializing in embedded s... Show more

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